Rail-fastener



E. a. DAVIS.

RAIL FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1 I, 1920. 1,358,529, Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

if) INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

PATENT orrice.

RAIL-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent. 1

Application filed September 11, 1920.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL J. DAvIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Appleton, in the county of Uutagamieand State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bail-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a novel rail fastener, which will effectually prevent loosening or displacement of the rails, which usually takes place, particularly in the outer rails of railway curves, owing to the displacement, or drawing out, of spikes from the ties.

A further object is to provide a rail fastener which is simple in construction and easy of application.

The device consists essentially of a shiftable tie plate, provided with peculiarly shaped holes, and disposed lengthwise of ,Jthe tie, under the rail base, and shouldered spikes adapted to pass through the enlarged portion of the holes, so that, when the tie plate is shifted lengthwise, the edges of the contracted portion of the holes may rest on and engage with the shoulders in the spikes, so that the spikes are locked against accidental removal, as by jarring incident to the trains passing over the rails.

The invention is clearly disclosed -in its preferred form in the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Briefly described:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a railway rail and tie with my rail fastener in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2, 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a detached detail View in side elevation of one form of my spike, showing also in fragmentary section, my novel tie plat and one of the railway rails;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on the line 4, 4 of Fig. 3, looking in the directionof the arrows, and

Fig. 5 IS a similar sectional view of a slightly modified form of spike.

, Patented Nov. 9, 1920. Serial Ho. 409,698.

Referringnow in detail to the drawing:

1 des gnates a tie and 2 a railroad rail.

3 designates one of my shiftable tie plates, adapted to be placed lengthwise upon the tie 1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The tie plate is of peculiar construction and will now be particularly described. The tie plate is preferably a rectangular structure and is beveled at one end, as shown at 4, so that the plate may be easily driven beneath the rall The tie plate, at its opposite end, is prov ded with a transversely extending, upward projecting, flange 5, affording a convenient bearing surface for a tool such as a hammer, in driving the plate beneath the rail 2. The plate is also provided with two or more openings 6, provided with lateral reduced extensions, or necks, 7, the side walls of said necks preferably being inclined toward each other, or convergent. The end wall of each neck 7 of the opening 6 is beveled, as shown at 8, for a purpose presently appearing.

9 designates one of the spikes of my invention, which is peculiarly formed to cooperate with the tie plate 3. To this end, the spike 9 is preferably circular in cross section, as shown in Fig. 4, and is preferably provided with spiral grooves 10, extendin lengthwise on the spike, eXteriorly thereof, and running from a point somewhat below the head 10', and terminating at the inner end of the sharpened portion, or extremity, 11 of the spike. When the spike is driven into the wood tie 1, a portion of the wood displaced, or compressed, by the spike, has a tendency to expand into said groove 10, thereby tending to hold the spike against accidental displacement. The shank of the spike 9, at a point somewhat below the head 10, and adjacent one end of the groove 10, is provided with a circumferential recess comprising a wall 12, at right angles to the axis of th spike, and a wall 13 inclined with respect to said wall 12 and to the axis of the spike; whereby, when the spike 9 is driven into the tie 1 through the slot 6, in the tie plate 3, and the tie plate 3 shifted longitudinally of the tie 1, the shank of said spike will enter the contracted portion, or neck, 7 of said slot, and the beveled end 8 of said contracted portion will engage in the circumferential recess and bear against the walls 12 and 13 thereof, thereby tending to lock the spike against accidental upward displacement.

Fig. 5 shows a slight modification, in which, instead of the spiral groove 10, a spiral threadli is provided, whereby, as the spike 9 is driveninto the tie, it will have a tendency to rotate, necessitating a revoluble movement of the spike in withdrawing the same, and thereby tending to I hold the spike against accidental upward displacement.

What I claim to be new is:

1. A rail fastener, comprising the combination of a shiftable tie plate, adapted to be disposed lengthwise upon a tie and be-\ neath a railroad rail, said tie plate being provided with slots having each a contracted, or neck-like, extension, having a beveled end wall, and a spike provided with a circumferential recess having a bottom wall at right angles to the axis of the spike and a side wall inclined to said first-mentioned Wall, and to the axis of the spike, said beva circular head and with a cross sectionally circular shank, said shank being provided with a circumferential recess adjacent the head, said recess having a bottom wall at right angles to the axis of the shank and a side wall inclined with reference to said bottom wall and to the axis of the shank,

said beveled end wall of the slot being adapted to engage said bottom and side walls of said circumferential recess.

3. In arail fastener, the combination of a shiftable tie plate adapted to be disposed lengthwise upon a tie beneath a railroad.

rail, and having slots, each of said slots being, provided with a reduced, or neck-like,

extension having a beveled end wall, anda spike having a shank provided with a spiral groove, and with a circumferential recess adjacent one end of said groove, said recess having a bottom wall in a plane at right angles to the axis of the shank, and a side wall inclined with reference to said bottom wall and to the axis of said shank, said beveled end wall of the slot being adapted to seat in said circumferential recess and bear against said bottom and side walls thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

EARL JOSEPH DAVIS. 

